1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to a coupler for selectively maintaining proximity between two or more banana plug connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Single conductor banana plug connectors 10, 12, such as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are commonly used to interconnect various electronic devices, test equipment, and professional audio speaker components. In many instances, pairs of banana plug connectors or plugs are used to mate with pairs of female connectors or jacks.
These jacks are typically spaced about three-quarters of an inch (xc2xexe2x80x3) apart, which is measured from about the center of each jack. However, in some cases, the female connectors do not have this spacing.
If a pair of banana plug connectors 10, 12 are molded together with xc2xexe2x80x3 spacing or if the connectors are inserted into a conventional coupler 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which typically also has xc2xexe2x80x3 spacing, the plugs will only be able to mate with jacks having the same spacing. This presents a problem that applies even if the female connectors vary only slightly from the standard xc2xexe2x80x3 spacing, which may be caused by, for instance, less than ideal tolerances during the manufacturing process.
Even when conventional couplers are not used, the individual wires coupled to the banana plug connectors present a sloppy appearance and have a tendency to create tangles and knots with other wires. In addition, when the plugs are not mated with the corresponding jacks, the plugs are prone to accidentally shorting to each other and various other conductive surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the device or equipment coupled to the plugs as well as the connectors, particularly in the case of, for instance, a high-power amplifier.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coupler for banana plug connectors and coupled banana plug connectors that enable the banana plug connectors to mate with female connectors, which are not spaced at exactly xc2xexe2x80x3 apart, while the banana plug connectors remain coupled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a coupler for banana plug connectors and coupled banana plug connectors in which the banana plug connectors may readily be uncoupled to enable the connectors to mate with female connectors that are not spaced xc2xexe2x80x3 apart while retaining the coupler on at least one of the banana plug connectors.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a coupler for banana plug connectors and coupled banana plug connectors that prevent the wires coupled to the banana plug connectors from shorting, tangling, or knotting with each other and any conductive surfaces while the banana plug connectors are coupled.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a coupler for banana plug connectors and coupled banana plug connectors that are simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a coupler for banana plug connectors and coupled banana plug connectors that enable the banana plug connectors to assume a variety of rotational and linear orientations with respect to each other while remaining coupled.
A coupler formed in accordance with one form of the present invention, which incorporate some of the preferred features, includes a first portion and a second portion, which are preferably cylindrical. The first and second portions have apertures and longitudinal axes extending through the apertures.
The first and second portions are preferably coupled such that their longitudinal axes are substantially parallel to each other. The apertures are able to receive protrusions extending from the banana plug connectors, which are further adapted to receive additional banana plug connectors. The apertures may receive the protrusions in any of a plurality of rotational and/or linear orientations about the first and second longitudinal axes.
The coupler is preferably molded in a single unit from a flexible material, such as plastic, a polymer resin, or rubber. The coupler may also include a bridge, which is preferably coupled substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes of the first and second portions. The apertures are preferably circular, but may also be substantially square, hexagonal, or octagonal.
Coupled banana plug connectors formed in accordance with another form of the present invention, which incorporate some of the preferred features, include a coupler as described above and two banana plug connectors.
The first banana plug connector includes a first protrusion and the second banana plug connector includes a second protrusion. The apertures in the banana plug connectors receive the protrusions, and the protrusions preferably include additional apertures to receive additional banana plug connectors. The apertures may receive the protrusions in any of a plurality of rotational and/or linear orientations about the longitudinal axes of the first and second portions.